Method and system for automatic deletion of information based on time synchronization and trusted counting

Abstract

A method and system for automatic deletion of information based on time synchronization and trusted counting is provided, the method including: defining different data structures including configurations in a normalized manner; setting triggering conditions for automatic information deletion, including conditions for automatic deletion based on time synchronization and/or based on trusted counting; maintaining synchrony of the configurations across different domains; and after satisfying the triggering conditions, making an information source domain and/or an information propagation domain perform the automatic information deletion. Considering that existing data deletion mechanisms cannot delete information according to preset retention periods, the present application employs synchrony across system clocks to perform automatic deletion of authorization information under circulation after a certain time period, and further limits a circulation count for information of interest so as to ensure that the information and its copies are all deleted after reaching a preset maximum permittable circulation count.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for automatic deletion of information based on time synchronization and trusted counting, the method at least comprising:
 implementing via a processor with a memory for instructions, wherein the processor performs the following steps: 
 defining different types of data structures in a normalized manner, wherein the data structures at least include configurations; 
 setting triggering conditions for automatic deletion of information, wherein the triggering conditions include conditions for automatic deletion based on the time synchronization and/or conditions for automatic deletion based on the trusted counting; 
 maintaining synchrony of the configurations across different domains; and 
 satisfying the triggering conditions based on information circulation data; 
 making an information source domain and/or an information propagation domain perform the automatic deletion of the information; 
 establishing a log deposit to record a process of the automatic deletion; and 
 wherein the step of defining the different types of data structures in the normalized manner at least comprises:
 making the information source domain, on basis of information it has acquired, generate corresponding configurations, and 
 sending the information to at least one information propagation domain, making the information propagation domain generate a new copy of the information; and 
 
 wherein for the automatic deletion based on the time synchronization, the configurations at least include preset deletion time points; and 
 for the automatic deletion based on trusted counting, the configurations at least include a maximum permittable circulation count of the information, and circulation domains of the information, 
 wherein the triggering conditions for automatic deletion based on the time synchronization at least comprises:
 confirming by the time synchronization across domains a predetermined expiration time identical to a global system time of the information; 
 making the domains automatically delete the information; and 
 
 wherein the triggering conditions for automatic deletion based on the trusted counting at least comprises:
 equalizing a circulation count of the information to the predetermined maximum permittable circulation count; and 
 making the domains automatically delete the information. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of,
 satisfying the triggering conditions based on information circulation data; and 
 making the information source domain and/or the information propagation domain synchronize the configurations and automatically delete the information at least comprises: 
 for the automatic deletion of the information based on the time synchronization, 
 generating by the information source domain D 0  circulation of the information, making the information source domain D 0  query a location of the current copy from a propagation chain P and synchronize the configuration C 0  to the information propagation domain; 
 circulating the copy again, generating a new copy I n  in the information propagation domain D n , and synchronously generating the corresponding configuration C n ; and 
 satisfying the triggering conditions for automatic deletion based on the global system time T reaching the predetermined expiration time t, and accomplishing automatic deletion of the information and all its copies. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of,
 satisfying the triggering conditions based on information circulation data; and 
 making the information source domain and/or the information propagation domain synchronize the configurations and automatically delete the information at least comprises: 
 with automatic deletion of the information based on the trusted counting, 
 circulating a copy I m  in one of the domains to the information propagation domain D n  again, generating a new copy I n  in the information propagation domain D n , and simultaneously generating the corresponding configuration C n , wherein the configuration C n  is updated with a circulation count r−n, and the information propagation domain D n  is added to the information circulation domain F; 
 making the information propagation domain D n  send the new configuration C n  to the information source domain D 0 , making the information source domain D 0  query locations {D 0 , D 1 , . . . , D n−1 } of all the copies {I 0 , I 1 , . . . , I n−1 } through the propagation chain P, and performing synchronization of the configurations, so as to update the circulation count in the configurations corresponding to copies in the other domains into r−n, and to add the information propagation domain D n  to the information circulation domain F; and 
 zeroing the circulation count in the counting configuration, initiating the conditions for automatic deletion, so that the corresponding information and its copies are all automatically deleted. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of establishing the log deposit to record the automatic deletion process at least comprises:
 generating process data structure information during circulation of the information; 
 generating triggering data structure information after the information satisfies the automatic deletion initiating conditions, and 
 after the information is deleted automatically, storing the corresponding process data structure and/or triggering data structure information as an operation log. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the data structures include the information subject identifier UserID, an information expiration time t, an information circulation count r,
 setting automatic deletion at the time t s , an information retention domain D s  where automatic deletion is configured, triggering the automatic deletion at the time t e , the information retention domain D s  where automatic deletion is triggered, an expiration time t set for automatic deletion, an information circulation count r set for automatic deletion, w entries of process information, and a log generating time t D . 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:
 after the information subject submits the information I 0  in the information source domain D 0 , the information source domain D 0  traces the information I 0 ; 
 circulating the information, the configurations are made synchronously, and a circulation list for the information source domain is generated in the information source domain D 0 ; the information is circulated to information propagation domains {D 1 , D 2 , . . . , D n−1 }, new copies {I 1 , I 2 , . . . , I n−1 } are generated. 
 
     
     
       7. A system for automatic deletion of information based on time synchronization and trusted counting, the system at least comprising
 a first processor and a first memory to store first instructions, wherein the first instructions are executed by the first processor to perform; 
 a second processor and a second memory to store second instructions, wherein the second instructions are executed by the second processor to perform, wherein 
 the first processor defining different types of data structures in a normalized manner, wherein the data structures at least include configurations; and 
 the first processor setting triggering conditions for automatic deletion of information, wherein the triggering conditions include conditions for automatic deletion based on the time synchronization and/or conditions for automatic deletion based on the trusted counting; 
 wherein synchrony of the configurations is maintained between the first processor and the second processor; and 
 satisfying the triggering conditions based on information circulation data; 
 an information source domain in the first processor and/or an information propagation domain in the second processor performs automatic deletion of the information; 
 wherein the first processor or the second processor establishes a log deposit to record a process of the automatic deletion; 
 wherein the step of defining the different types of data structures in the normalized manner at least comprises: 
 making the information source domain, on basis of information it has acquired, generate corresponding the configurations, and 
 sending the information to at least one information propagation domain, making the information propagation domain generate a new copy of the information; and 
 wherein for the automatic deletion based on the time synchronization, the configurations at least include preset deletion time points; and 
 for the automatic deletion based on trusted counting, the configurations at least include a maximum permittable circulation count of the information, and circulation domains of the information, 
 wherein the triggering conditions for automatic deletion based on the time synchronization at least comprises: 
 confirming by the time synchronization across domains a predetermined expiration time is identical to a global system time of the information, making the domains automatically delete the information; and 
 the triggering conditions for automatic deletion based on the trusted counting at least comprises: 
 equalizing a circulation count of the information to the predetermined maximum permittable circulation count, and making the domains automatically delete the information. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the step of,
 satisfying the triggering conditions based on information circulation data; making the information source domain and/or the information propagation domain synchronize the configurations and automatically delete the information at least comprises: 
 for the automatic deletion of the information based on the time synchronization, 
 generating circulation of the information by the information source domain D 0 , making the information source domain D 0  query a location of the current copy from a propagation chain P and synchronize the configuration C 0  to the information propagation domain; 
 circulating the copy again, generating a new copy I n  in the information propagation domain D n , and synchronously generating the corresponding configuration C n ; and 
 satisfying the triggering conditions for automatic deletion by the global system time T reaching the predetermined expiration time t, and accomplishing automatic deletion of the information and all its copies. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the step of,
 satisfying the triggering conditions based on information circulation data; 
 making the information source domain and/or the information propagation domain synchronize the configurations and automatically delete the information at least comprises: 
 with automatic deletion of the information based on the trusted counting, 
 circulating a copy I m  in one of the domains to the information propagation domain D n  again, generating a new copy I n  in the information propagation domain D n , and simultaneously generating the corresponding configuration C n , wherein the configuration C n  is updated with a circulation count r−n, and the information propagation domain D n  is added to the information circulation domain F; 
 making the information propagation domain D n  send the new configuration C n  to the information source domain D 0 , making the information source domain D 0  query locations {D 0 , D 1 , . . . , D n−1 } of all the copies {I 0 , I 1 , . . . , I n−1 } through the propagation chain P, and performing synchronization of the configurations, so as to update the circulation count in the configurations corresponding to copies in the other domains into r−n, and to add the information propagation domain D n  to the information circulation domain F; and 
 zeroing the circulation count in the counting configuration, and initiating the conditions for automatic deletion, so that the corresponding information and its copies are all automatically deleted. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the step of establishing the log deposit to record the automatic deletion process at least comprises:
 generating process data structure information during circulation of the information; 
 generating triggering data structure information after the information satisfies the automatic deletion initiating conditions, and 
 after the information is deleted automatically, storing the corresponding process data structure and/or triggering data structure information as an operation log. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the data structures include an information subject identifier UserID, an information expiration time t,
 setting at automatic deletion an information circulation count r, the time t s , an information retention domain D s  where automatic deletion is configured, triggering automatic deletion at the time t e , the information retention domain D s  where automatic deletion is triggered, the expiration time t set for automatic deletion, the information circulation count r set for automatic deletion, w entries of process information, and the log generating time t D . 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein after the information subject submits the information I 0  in the information source domain D 0 , the information source domain D 0  traces the information I 0 ;
 circulating the information, so the configurations are made synchronously, and a circulation list for the information source domain is generated in the information source domain D 0 ; circulating the information to information propagation domains {D 1 , D 2 , . . . , D n−1 }, so new copies {I 1 , I 2 , . . . , I n−1 } are generated.